Vehicle Edge-Stop Control Using Virtual Lane References
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle control systems experience unstable behavior when moving to a road edge due to variations in distance detected by millimeter wave sensors, caused by structures like guardrails or curbs, leading to increased anxiety and discomfort for occupants.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control system using a camera to analyze images and generate virtual lines along the road's partitioning line, controlling the steering and braking to stabilize the vehicle's movement to the road edge, adjusting speeds smoothly and in accordance with road shoulder width and length, to prevent unstable behavior.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If millimeter wave sensor is used to detect distance to road edge, then stopping position can be determined, but vehicle behavior becomes unstable due to structures like guardrails and curbs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the road edge detection task into multiple components: using camera images to detect the partitioning line (lane marking) and separately detecting the actual road edge position. This segmentation allows the system to identify structures like guardrails and curbs as distinct from the logical road boundary, enabling stable path planning despite physical variations in road edge geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual lines as an intermediary between the detected partitioning line and the actual road edge. These virtual lines serve as stable reference paths that are offset from the partitioning line by a predetermined distance, providing a consistent guidance path that is not directly affected by variations in the physical road edge position caused by guardrails, curbs, or other structures.
2Ease of operation
If steering amount is adjusted based on varying distance to road edge, then vehicle can reach road edge, but occupant anxiety and discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and setting virtual lines at a predetermined distance from the partitioning line before the vehicle reaches the road edge. This preliminary path planning ensures that the vehicle follows a smooth, predictable trajectory from the beginning of the evacuation maneuver, preventing sudden or erratic steering adjustments that would cause occupant discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the reference parameter from the variable physical road edge position to the stable virtual line position. By controlling the vehicle to follow the virtual line rather than directly tracking the road edge, the system transforms the control parameter from one that varies with road structures to one that provides consistent, smooth guidance, thereby reducing occupant anxiety.
3Productivity
If vehicle moves directly to road edge based on sensor detection, then stopping is achieved, but behavior becomes unstable near projecting structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the unstable element (direct tracking of physical road edge with guardrails and curbs) from the control system and replaces it with the stable virtual line reference. This extraction removes the source of instability caused by projecting structures while maintaining the ability to guide the vehicle to the road edge for stopping.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller detects partitioning lines OL and BL of a road and a road edge E based on an image taken by a camera, generates a pair of left and right virtual lines ILL and ILR that extend from the side to the front of a vehicle along the partitioning lines OL and BL, controls the steering so the vehicle travels between the left and right virtual lines ILL and ILR, moves the left virtual line ILL to a position in proximity to the road edge E and fixes the left virtual line ILL to this position, and then, moves the right virtual line ILR to a position separated from the left virtual line ILL by the width of the vehicle and fixes the right virtual line ILR to this position, and controls brakes to stop the vehicle after fixing the left and right virtual lines ILL and ILR.